Ethiopian Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed launched the Second Green Legacy Campaign on 5 June 2020, World Environment Day.
The Government plans to plant 5 billion seedlings this year. Over four billion were reportedly planted in the First Green Legacy Campaign organized in 2019 during the Ethiopian rainy season, which runs from the beginning of June to end of August.
A record number of nearly 354 million trees were planted in a single day on what the Government named Green Legacy Day, 29 July 2019, although the Government’s plan had been to plant 200 million trees. Almost all Government offices were closed on that day as civil servants were out to plant trees. The Ethiopian media highly promoted the event with a countdown and the people of Ethiopia, young and old, planted trees enthusiastically. Media reported that over 80% of the trees planted last year have survived owing mainly to close follow-up by the people and good rainfall.